Best Kept Secret
by ReadingBetweenTheLines
Summary: It seems that over the years the Kenworhty's have been keeping a secret. What happens when that secret comes to Darton?
1. Zeke

**Well, I noticed that I tend to have different ideas than most of the PS people here. More OC's too. hehe I'm not sure if that is a bad thing. lol I've been trying to decide if I should stick to the usual Sake or not. It seems to be the trend. Oh well. Here's a new story...**

Jen stood in the center of the barn aisle at Gold Dust Ranch, grooming Silly's golden coat. Sam watched her friend over the blood bay back of her quarter horse, Ace. Her friend was fidgety, constantly moving her body around. Sam was baffled. What could she possibly be so excited about? Jen looked as though she where going to burst when Jen spun around to face her.

"My sister is coming home!" Jen shrieked, Silly shifted away from his owner.

"Your sister? I thought you were an only child," Sam thought aloud, "How could you have a sister?!"  
"I dunno. My parents just told me yesterday! And she's coming home!"

"Where has she been?" Sam asked, walking around Ace's flank to face her friend.

"I dunno. I asked my mom and she said something about sending her away because of me and finical issues."

"Because of you and finical issues?" Sam asked again, unconvinced.

"It was before I was born and they were having some money problem. I guess they have always had money problems. Anyway, she's been living with my uncle in Wyoming! Can you believe it! I have a sister!" Jen laughed, bouncing in place.

Sam set a hand on Ace's withers, deep in thought. It was unlike Jen to not have the whole story. But more importantly why would her parents keep this from her for so long?

"Do have a picture of her?" Sam asked.

"No. Not a single one. Believe me. When I found out I raided our house!"

"When is she coming?"

Jen pulled her cell phone from her pocket and checked the time then looked up at Sam, a big grin on her face, "Like any minute now!"

"Is that why you invited me over here?" Sam laughed.

"Yes! I wanted you to meet her. I am so nervous!"

"Wow. I guess everyone is coming home today!" Sam laughed.

"What do you mean?" Jen asked, brows furrowed.

"Hello? Who are you and what have you done with Jen? Jen is never this forgetful! Kit is coming home today dummy!"

"Oh my gosh! I completely forgot!" Jen laughed.

Jen went silent when the sound of tires was heard on the gravel lot out in front of the house. Dropping her curry, Jen sprinted out the barn, Sam left to try to keep up. When Sam managed to catch Jen she was already outside. Sam ran through the door to the barn, running into Jen.

Sam staggered backward, "Why did you stop?"

"What if she doesn't like me?" Jen asked, suddenly shy.

"Why would she not like you?" Sam blurted?

"Because I am the reason that she is not here. She has to leave because of me. Do you think she is holding a grudge against me?"

"Well you are never going to find out standing here," Sam explained, shoving her friend forward.

* * *

Zeke stared in amazement at the land around her. The ranch she had come from couldn't compare to this one. The only thing that was bigger in Wyoming was the enormous amount of acreage that the ranch sat on, tucked into the rolling hills. Shoving her sunglasses farther up her nose, Zeke turned off the engine of her Chevy dually. Stepping out of the truck she checked to be sure her cell phone was in her back pocket and knife was slipped in her front pocket and secured there by its clip. Smoothing the front of her button up sky blue and white flannel she grabbed her black felt cowboy hat from its place on her seat and tugged it down over her mane of chocolate brown hair. Glancing around she decided to head toward the house.

"Z-zeke?" a quiet voice from behind her asked.

Zeke turned to face a thin blonde girl and auburn haired girl. Zeke shoved her hands into the pockets of her dirt stained jeans. Stared down at the square toe of her work-scuffed boots.

Then she looked up, peering out beneath the brim of her hat, "You're Jen right?"

The blonde girl nodded excitedly, the blonde braids bouncing. A smile lifted Zeke's lips. Zeke's green eyes slid to the right to an auburn haired girl. The girl was studying her, scrutinizing every curve of her body, no doubt comparing her to the blonde girl.

* * *

Sam stared at the brunette. She was attractive, very attractive but there was something different about her. She had her father's green eyes but she had brunette hair. Where would she get brown hair?

Jen quickly closed the space between her and her sister and wrapped her in a hug, "It's going to be so neat to have a sister!"  
The girl laughed, "Yeah. But how 'bout you introduce me to the horses?"

Jen smiled, "I think I'm going to like you!"

Zeke glanced back at the foreman house as Jen led her into the barn.

"Mom and Dad should be here at any time now. I'm sure I had seen the curtain move," Jen said, noticing her sister's glance.

"Okay…who is this?" Zeke asked, running a hand down glossy brown fur.

"This is Ace," Sam said, stepping forward.

"Oh my gosh!" Jen grasped her head, "What is wrong with me! Zeke this is Sam, my very bestest friend."

Zeke politely stuck out her hand, the hand hanging lazily in the air. Sam grasped it hesitantly.

"Nice to meet you."

* * *


	2. Do I Know You?

**I just wanted to start this with the fact that way2boredhorseluvr informed me that horse-nerd has written a story by the same title. You should read it she said its really good. I just wanted to say that I didn't realize that horse-nerd had written a story under that title. I don't want you to think that I stole it. In no way shape or form did I take it. Horse-nerd, if you happen to read this and want me to change the title just leave a review saying so and I will.**

* * *

"I just think that it's funny that she suddenly turns up out of no where," Sam explained as Brynna brushed her hair, "Why haven't we heard anything about her?"

Brynna shrugged, "I really haven't known the Kenworthy's that long but I'd have to say that it is peculiar."

"I mean she's nice. She really likes Ace…well, you'll get to meet her when we go to Linc's stupid party."

Brynna nodded as she took another section of Sam's glossy auburn hair and began pulling them back into a French braid. Sam was quiet, the gears turning. She _was_ going to find out who this girl, this Zeke really was.

Brynna finished the braid and laid down Sam's back over her white blouse. Sam sat off and rearranged her jean shorts, some thread ticking her knees from where they had been cut.

"Sam!" her father's voice echoed up the stairs, "Come on, we've got to go."

Sam grabbed her sunglasses for the remaining few hours of sunlight and headed for the door.

"Sam," Brynna spoke from behind her, "I know that look. Don't do anything rash."

"I won't," Sam said, but little did Brynna know, hidden behind her back was crossed fingers.

* * *

Sam stepped out of the car in time to see Jen's blonde hair bouncing toward her, "She's a horse trainer!"

"What?"

"She's a horse trainer," Jen repeated, "that's what she's been doing in Wyoming. Since she was twelve, she said."

Sam nodded absently, "Cool."

"Oh," Jen added, "Kit is here."

"Really?" Sam asked.

"Yeah, we should introduce him to Zeke."

"What is she like your new idol?" Sam asked, the words coming out sharper than she had intended.

Jen didn't seem to notice as she turned back to the crowd, shrugging, "Come on. I'm starving."

* * *

Zeke stared around the small crowd of people. All people was going to get to know. Laughter burst from a group of people to her left. Zeke leaned back in her chair, some black haired elder woman sitting bedside her. Lacing her fingers together she absently listen to the conversation unfolding beside her.

"Do I know you from somewhere?"

Zeke twisted in her seat to see a tan skinned man standing behind her. Oh God. Zeke's face paled.

"No," she squeaked.

"Man. Are you sure?" he asked tipping back the brim of his hand, "I was sure…"

"No, you don't know me," Zeke said, standing up and walking toward the picnic table filled with food, "You don't know me."

Zeke busied herself taking small amounts of food that would end up going uneaten. She had lost her appetite.

"Have you showed in any rodeos maybe?"

"I don't know your name," Zeke lied, "So you don't need to know mine."

"Kit Ely," the man stuck out his hand to Zeke, across the table.

Hesitating, Zeke slowly allowed him her hand. He shook it firmly but when Zeke moved to pull it back his grip held fast. Zeke pulled back against him. He just stared at her, expecting something in return.

"Zeke," she grumbled, jerking her hand back and nearly knocking the plate balanced by the auburn haired girl beside her.

When only silence greeted her name she looked up into his face. He was thinking, processing the name. He drew breath in sharply.

"You aren't the Wyoming girl are you? Where you showing sale horses while you where working for the rodeo manager. Gosh, I wish I could remember who you trained for…"

Zeke's eyes darted around quickly.

"Yeah, you were the one that had managed to steer away that bull before he chucked me to the fence. You remember? My hand got caught-"

"No. That wasn't me," Zeke said shortly before striding away.

"I coulda sworn it was you," Kit said under his breath.

* * *

Sam walked quickly back toward Jen. What news! Kit might know something about this girl. All she had to do was corner Kit and get some information out of him.


	3. Cinderella Story

Something I thought I should mention is that this story takes place after Run Away Home but before he goes to Hawaii.

Disclaimer: I do not own Phantom Stallion

Sam let out Ace's reins as they rode into Three Ponies Ranch. Moving her hand slightly to the left she directed the bay toward the ranch house. To her right was the faint echoing thud of horse beats. Twisting in the saddle she faced the corral. Sitting on the top rung of the corral fence was Kit, no doubt watching his brother work the kinks out of Witch judging by the angry snorts and grunts.

Taking a glance back at the house, Sam turned Ace toward the corral.

"Why hello Samantha," Kit greeted her looking back over his shoulder, his grin bright against his dark face.

"Hello Kit," Sam slid down from Ace's back, "How's it going?"

"Pretty good."

"So did you have a good time at the party last night?" Sam asked, casually moving to sit beside him.

"I met Zeke if that is what you're getting' at."

"So you know her

"I coulda sworn she was the pick-up rider in Wyoming. She was the one that save my life. I remember she had this beautiful palomino Lustino stallion, guess I know why she had a palomino. It had been used for bull fighting and that horse was fearless around the bulls."

"I thought you rode broncos," Sam said, brows furrowed.

"A buddy of mine signed me up. I didn't know I was riding until they called me up on the loud speaker," Kit chuckled.

"I wonder if she brought her horse. There was no horse trailer when she came."

Kit shook his, "I could have sworn that was her. There was only one way I would know if that was her for sure. She has scars. She caught up with the bull when she was trying to release my bucking strap," Kit touched the shoulder that had been shattered from a rodeo accident.

"Wait. Is that how you got your shoulder crushed?" Sam asked.

"Woulda been worse if it hadn't been for that girl. I've been looking for her ever since," Kit's voice quieted, the blush on his cheeks darkening, "Stupid ain't it? Sounds like some Cinderella story."

Sam smiled, "I think it's cool."

Kit looked up at her, his smile returning, "Oh yeah?"

Sam laughed. Kit stared down at his boots that were hanging off the side of the corral.

"Have you found her?"

Kit looked up at his little brother.

"Maybe…I dunno."

Sam studied the wistful look in Kit's eyes. Who was this girl? Was she Kit's savior or did it just happen to be a coincidence?


	4. Troubadour

**Way2boardhorseluvr this is a Zekit story lol but I was actually going to be putting Sake into it too.**

* * *

A swift cool breeze swept across the playa, ruffling Sam's hair. The sound of hoof beats drifted through the breeze to her. Looking back over her shoulder she saw a glimpse of gold in the horizon. The glimpse was becoming larger and larger very quickly. By the time she recognized Champ the horse was nearly fifty feet away from her but it wasn't the riderless Champ that caught her attention, it was the horse behind it. It was another palomino, striking in color. The rider was bareback even though their horse was reaching farther and farther trying to lengthen it's stride to run side by side with Champ.

Champ was slowing and second palomino was speeding up. The horse and rider passed Champ surging ahead. When they were a few feet ahead of Champ the horse and rider swung ninety degrees to the left into Champ's path. Sam's breath caught in her throat. What was she doing? Champ would plow through them. But when she looked back up at them the thick necked palomino was half passing in front of Champ as the rider leaned over to clip the lead rope on the halter under the his bridle. She watched in awe as the horse side passed at the speed of a canter, his legs moving with ease.

When the lead rope was clipped the horse and rider jumped forward out of Champ's path, pivoted to move beside Champ before the rider pulled both horse to a stop.

Sam moved Ace into a trot, approaching the horses.

"What happened?" Sam asked.

The rider twisted in the direction of Sam, loose wisps of brunette hair blowing in the breeze.

"Zeke?" Sam asked in surprise.

"Yes…"

"Wow, that was amazing. What is that horse?"

"He's just a horse," Zeke said quietly as she slid off the horse's back.

It was then that she was finally got a good look at Zeke. She wore only a tank top, her skin scrapped and red. It wasn't the wounds that caught her attention. It was scars that littered her tanned skin. Ace danced beneath Sam, feeling her tension.

"What happened?" Sam blurted, instantly wincing hoping that Zeke thought she was asking about the scrapes and not the scars.

Zeke's hand instantly went to here cheek bone, wear a scrape dashed across it. Zeke blushed, ashamed.

"Champ managed to get me off. I'm not sure why. He flipped over on me. I'm not sure why. Maybe it was the bit…"

Sam's eye slid over to the bit in Champ's mouth. He chewed nervously on the rubber snaffle in his mouth.

"Why would he not want this bit? It's one of the least severe ones."

"It wasn't that bit. It was the one on it before. It was a spade bit and judging on the rider Je-Dad said that Mr. Slocum is I don't think it was used properly in any way."

Sam nodded her head as Zeke removed the bridle and tied the tail of the lead rope through the clip. Taking Champ's and the other palomino's reins in her hands she remounted Champ.

"What is your horse's name?"

"His name is Troubadour."

* * *

**If you want to see my inspiration for Zeke's horse look up 'Bullfighting horses' on YouTube. I do not support the sport at all but the horses are amazing.**


	5. Let the Game Begin

"I just don't get it! She just pops out of nowhere and moves in with Kenworthy's. We didn't even know that they had another daughter! She doesn't even look like them. All she has is Jed's eyes and even that is because they have is the same color eyes," Sam ranted as she threw another pitch fork of soiled hay into the muck bucket.

"And?" Jake asked, leaning against the stall wall.

"All I think is that something suspicious is going on. I mean she almost called Jed by his name instead of calling him dad."

"She has been away from home for how long?" Jake pointed out.

"Your not helping!" Sam snapped as she drug the full muck out of the stall.

"I'm just trying to think positive about this girl. Kit really seems to think she is that rodeo girl and I've had to listen to talk about her for too long."

"He really seems to want to find that girl."

Jake laughed, "Yeah. I think he's got a crush on her! Every time he went to Wyoming he would somehow write me a letter talking about some brunette he keeps trying to talk to."

"Hey be nice. Just because he has no talent at talking to women doesn't mean you have to make fun of him!" Sam chuckled, swatting his arm.

"Yeah well, I'm not so good either."

"Really. And who are you trying to talk to?"

"No one that you should be concerned of."

"Oh yes I should. Are you going to tell me or are you going to make me guess?"

"I'm not telling you."

"Rachel?" Sam asked, trying to keep a straight face.

"Oh God. You have to know me better than that!" Jake groaned walking toward the entrance of the barn.

"Jen?"  
"Are you kidding me?! The blonde bimbo?"

"Jen is not a bimbo!"

Jake shook his head, setting his hand on the door handle of his pick up.

"How about we have lunch tomorrow and you can try some more?" Jake asked, leaning his arm on the window frame of the truck.

"I'm gonna find out cowboy. And when I do you had better be begging for mercy because that girl is not gonna turn you down! At least if I have anything to say about it!"

Jake shook his head, "Go ahead and try."

Sam put her hands on her hips and she watched Jake cross over the bridge and turn towards home. Her phone vibrated in her pocket. It was Jen. 'Wht r u doing?' she texted. 'I think Jake just asked me out.' Sam replied.


	6. Stallone

"I can't wait for tomorrow," Sam said excitedly, "I always love the Fourth of JUly. I like it better when my dad plans a spontaneous party at our house and the house smells great because Gram's been cookinf for the last twenty-four hours!"

"Is Zeke coming with the Kenworthy's?" Jake asked popping a French fry in his mouth.

"As far as I know."

Sam smoothed her napkin, glancing around Clara's as Jake took bit into his hamburger.

"Do you think she really came from Wyoming?"

Jake stared at her shaking his head, "Why can't you just leave it alone. The Kenworthy's affairs are known of your business."  
Sam gasped, "Do you think…no, one of Jen parent's couldn't have had an affair could they? Oh my gosh, Jake. I never thought of that."

"Do not get involved brat."

Sam huffed, "Why does everyone think I'm going to do something?"

"'Cause you will."

Sam shook her head as she stood up, "I'm going to get a refill."

Cola in hand she strode away from Jake and toward the counter where Clara was wiping her hands on her apron. When she was a few feet away she realized that Clara was talking to the large man at the counter.

"Are you sure you haven't seen her?" he asked.

"No, but I'll keep the picture and phone number just in case I do. Tell me again why are you looking for her?"

"She trains horses for me. Well she used to. She told me that she was coming down here and I thought maybe since I'm going to be here for the Forth of July fair I figured I'd get her to ride my blue roan in it."

"Okay. If I see her I'll call you."

"Thank you ma'am."

With a nod of the brim of his hat, the large man was gone. Sam waited until the man was safely out the door before she approached Clara.

"I heard that he was looking for someone," Sam said as she set her glass down on the table.

"He's looking for this girl," Clara said, taking the picture from under the counter and handed it to Sam.

Sam's eyes widen at the picture. She instantly recognized the brunette hair and the loose jeans.

"Her name is Zeke Stallone. Said she used to train horse for him."

Sam glanced back over her shoulder at Jake. She had to tell him about this. Then he wouldn't think she was crazy.

"Do you mind if I take a picture of this?" Sam asked, taking out her cell phone.

"Nope. Did you want a refill?" Clara asked taking Sam's empty Cola off the counter.

"Yes, thank you."

After retrieving her soda, Sam quickly walked back to her table.

"You are never going to believe it! Look at this!" Sam took out her cell phone and handed it to Jake, "I told you something fishy is going on here!"


	7. Friends Don't Tell

Sam carried a heavy platter of boiled eggs out onto the table set up in the yard in front of the house. She rubbed her hands on the crisp, new blue jeans she had bought specially for today. Setting pile of napkins decorated in red, white and blue down on the table she turned toward the barn. She had been dieing to see Ace all night but she had promised Gram that she could keep her white shirt clean. Fingering the red necklace clasped lightly around her neck she chewed her lip. Maybe if she just pet him with her hand from an arms length away…

"Don't even think about," Gram said, coming behind her with another plate full of food.

Sam let a small smile escape onto her lips.

"Now get in that house and get moving before the guest arrive!"

Sam laughed and jogged toward the house. Just as she reached for the doorknob hoof beats echoed on the bridge, a single set of hoof beats. She turned toward the Ranch entrance to see a blue roan high stepping toward Gram, sweat lathered white on his neck. Zeke sat loose in the saddle seeming not to notice the hyper horse beneath her.

She circled the horse once before she approached Grace. She spoke to her then gestured toward the house without looking toward it. Was she talking about Sam? Sam studied the older girl. She didn't look ready for the party. She wore loose dirt smeared jeans and a faded green T-shirt, which sleeves were pushed up to expose her shoulders to the hot summer breeze.

Zeke nodded the brim of her felt hat then turned the horse on his haunches and trotted him toward the hitching post in front of the barn. Sam couldn't help but admire the girl's natural grace on the horse's back. Though her ponytail thumped crazily on her back revealing the horses bouncing stride her butt remained glued to the seat.

With one smooth motion she kicked loose of her stirrups and swung to the ground. It was only then that Sam truly noticed Zeke's horse.

The horse was the color of dark wash jeans and huge. The horse had to be as large as Tank and twice as muscular. His shoulders where well-developed and his head was a large.

"Nice horse ain't 'e?" Zeke said as she strode toward Sam, "I'm riding him in the roping events at the fair tomorrow."

Then it clicked. Everything she had been mulling over all last night. The picture. The man. The horse. The name. It all made sense. Everything made sense, everything but that she was involved with the Kenworthy.

"Are you training him for that man from Wyoming?" Sam asked her blatantly.

"I have no idea what you are talking about," Zeke said as she swung her saddlebags over her shoulders and strode past Sam into the house.

"I knew you weren't a Kenworthy. Ever since you set foot on Nevada soil I knew it."

Zeke's laugh echoed down the stairway, "They told me you were crazy and now I guess they're right."  
"What?"

Sam followed the girl up the stairs, where was she going.

"Are you following me into the shower?" Zeke chuckled as she leaned against the threshold of the bathroom.

"No! Why are you showering here?"

"Relax cowgirl. I just don't have time to make back to my house and change before the party and your grandmother said that I could shower here."

"I want to talk to you when you get out."

"That's fine with me just no nonsense," Zeke chuckled before she closeed the bathroom door.

Sam glanced out the window. The Ely's were here and Zeke was still in the bathroom.

"What did you want to talk about?"

Sam looked up at Zeke, astonished. The girl didn't look like her usual boyish self. The older girl wore fitted jeans not the wide leg jeans she usually wore. She hair was down, glossy mocha waves. A baby blue polo shirt hugged the curves of her torso.

"I know who you are," Sam said finally recovering from the slight shock.

Zeke sighed then turned to pick her saddlebags off the floor of the bathroom, "I didn't think that anyone would find out."

"Well, I'm not just anyone."

"I know I shouldn't have come here but I didn't really have any other choice. After mom died I had to go somewhere. I wasn't making enough to have my own place so I panicked…and I called my dad."

"What? Jen's mom isn't dead," Sam said confused.

"Wait. I thought you knew."

"Knew what? I know your name. Zeke Stallone."

"Yeah but I thought you knew that Jed slept with my-" Zeke gasped slapping her hand over her mouth.

"Wait? What!?" Sam bolted up out of her chair, "He had an affair!"

"A long time ago!" Zeke defended her father, "Him and Lila weren't even married…just engaged."

"Engaged!"

"Hey! Look, do you think I'm proud of that! Do you think I'm proud that I've had to live twenty years with out my father or that I was born by such a degrading matter. I was a mistake. Being a mistake isn't very good for your self esteem." Zeke's voice trailed off as she slid down the wall to sit on the floor, her elbows rest on her knees.

"For twenty years I've been forbidden to talk to him or even think about seeing him and you know what the sad thing is? He didn't know about me until two weeks ago. And you know what. I think it was better for him not to know," a tear streaked down her cheek, "'cause me just being here can ruin his life."

Sam sat down beside her, instantly feeling guilty. She shouldn't have brought it up, "I'm sorry."

"You won't tell will you? Friends don't tell."

Sam was quiet, chewing her lip, "No. I won't."

"Thank you."

"Is that why Jen was saying that her mom doesn't seem to like you?" Sam asked.

"Yeah," Zeke said chuckling, "We should probably get down there."


	8. PickUp Rider

Sam followed Zeke off the porch and into the yard which was now filled with their neighbors, most of which where surrounding Cody, who was asleep in his mothers arms. Sam noticed the sidelong glance Zeke gave that hung a little longer than it usually would. Again, guilt flooded over her. If she hadn't had brought up the whole manner the nerves wouldn't be so raw.

"Sam! Over here!" Jen called from across the yard. Leaving Zeke's side she walked toward her friend.

"Did you see that horse?" Jen asked excitedly, "Isn't he awesome!"

"Yeah," Sam agreed.

"You know I wish I knew more about Zeke. She's so private," Jen said as she watched the large roan pace around the round pen.

"I think I know everything that I need to know about," Sam sighed.

Sam's eye drifted Zeke where she stood, leaning against the railing of the porch. The girl's eyes were glued on Cody. Sam could almost read the girl's mind. She was most likely thinking about how her life could have been.

Sam shifted forward on her feet to walk toward her just as Kit approached her.

"You look lonely," Kit smoothly moved to lean beside Zeke.

"You have no idea."

Kit was quiet for a while. He looked over, "You clean up well."

Zeke laughed, "You try too hard."

"What?"

"If you want to talk to me then why don't you. I'll tell you anything. It seems to be the pattern tonight."

"Alright then…are you the pick-up rider from Wyoming."

"Yes."

"Why didn't you say that before?"

"Because I just don't want to remind myself of that place anymore."

"Too many bad memories?" Kit asked, glancing over at her.

"Too many good ones."

Sam sat down on the wooden bench beside Jake watching the party.

"You know we never really had a good date at Clara's."

Sam didn't have to glance over at Jake to know his face was deep red, "What date?"

"It was a date and you know it. I have one last guess for your crush," Sam said, leaning towards him.

Jake turned to look at her, "Good ahead and guess."

"Is it me?"

Jake laughed slightly, "Maybe."  
"Jake!" someone called across the yard.

Jake looked away from Sam and toward the people, "What?"

"Aren't you hungry?"  
"No," Jake said, leaning back against the bench.

Sam was quiet as she watched the party from Jake's side. Slowly, oh so subtly, Jake stretched, yawning. Sam was still as Jake's arm came to rest casually over her shoulders.

"I'll take that as a yes."

Zeke twisted the cap of her bottle as she looked up at Kit who was attempting to eat a sloppy joe with one hand.

"Do you want to sit down?" Zeke laughed when a slop of meat fell onto the gravel.

"That might be a good idea," Kit said, moving toward a pair of empty lawn chairs by the fire.

Zeke sat down beside him, staring into the fire. Smoothing her hair, she glanced over at Kit.

"I heard you're a rodeo girl from Wyoming," a man said from the other side of the fire.

Zeke looked up at an over weight and over dressed man, "And?"

"You've seen my Brahmas haven't you?" he asked proudly.

"I don't like them," Zeke said flatly.

"Oh? And why not?"

"They are mean. I've seen a steer beat a man into the ground for standing next to him," Zeke said, her voice monotone.

"Don't that just make them the perfect bucking bull?" the man asked, a wicked grin spreading across his face.

"No."  
"Well, I guess the fair begs to differ. Four of my best steers are going to be buckin tomorrow."

Zeke just stared at the man.

"And I hear you're going to be a pick up rider tomorrow."

"Your fat slugs won't be able to touch my palomino."


	9. Some Girl

**Pretty muchly just a filler chapter... very short...**

"I was really looking forward to doing, or at least attempting the speed classes with silly. Stupid rain." Jen pouted.

"But the sand is to slick to do any kind of competitive racing," Sam pointed out, "I don't want Ace to pull a muscle."

Only the sound of hooves sloshing could be heard as they rode toward the large riding arena. The fair's opening time had been pushed back a few hours to allow arena maintenance.

"Do you hear that?" Jen asked, stopping Silly.

Sam halted and listened. Clapping of the large hooves carried toward them.

"I didn't know that they had draft horses here," Jen whispered as they listened.

Around the large horse barn walked Digger. His large drafty head bobbed to the beat of his own hooves as he clopped toward them. It wasn't the large blue roan or the sound of his feet that caught their attention. It was the two people riding on his back.

Zeke was seated in her saddle with her usually natural sway but Kit was seat behind her with his arms tightly around her waist. Zeke laughed at a joke they couldn't hear. She looked the happiest that either Sam or Jen had seen her since she had arrived that first day.

"They look so nice together," Jen whispered, "I just can't get her to admit that she likes him or at least she won't tell me that she does."

It was then that Kit finally saw them. His body stilled and his arms fell from her waist. Sam kicked Ace into a jog to approach them.

"You aren't going to ride any broncos today?" Sam joked.

Kit gave a nervous laughed, "No. My body is still recovering from my last run."  
"Hey, sorry to bother you guys, mostly you Kit because you have to get off, I need to get to the arena for 'breifing'," Zeke nodded her head toward the group of riders that had gathered at the center of the arena.

"Yeah, sure," Kit slid of the horse, smoothing his shirt.

Zeke nudged Digger forward into a jog. Again Sam was struck with awe at the natural ease she had in the saddle.

"She is some rider," Sam commented, as she watched Zeke trot into the center of the arena.

"She is some girl," Kit said quietly as turned to walk away.

Jen and Sam exchanged smirks.


	10. Reaper

Sam adjusted herself for the fourth time since she had sat down on the uncomfortable aluminum bleacher.

"Will you quit squirming," Jake snapped, "Your liable to push me right off the edge of this thing."

"Oh shush," Sam said lightly shoved Jake but gasped when he flailed his arms trying to keep his balance, "You were serious?"

Jake glared at her, "What do you think?"

"Thank you for bearing with us. We had just a slight issue with the announcing system but we quickly fixed it. Now we it is Riley O'Connel's ride with Reaper, a bull supplied by a local rancher, Linc Slocum," the man over the loud speaker explained.

Sam looked toward the north end of the arena where a large black bull was unleashed into the arena. Zeke cantered forward a few strides on Digger ready to step in when the cowboy was launched. The young cowboy was wrenched from the bulls back after a few seconds of harsh, ragged bucking.

The cowboy was thrown in front of the bull but before he could scramble to his feet the bull hooked his horn underneath his protective vest and launched him across the arena. The thundering thud of Digger's feet was lost in the screams as he galloped toward the gasping cowboy. The bull was still targeting young man. Head lowered, he charged.

"Get on," Zeke screamed as she helped pull the boy onto Digger, who was shaking, ears flying in a flurry of directions.

The instant his reins were loosened he launched into a running headed toward the opposite end of the arena. The cowboy had just crawled to the other side of the arena walls when screams coursed through the crowd again.

Sam paled as the stared at the other end of the arena. A young child had somehow wandered into the arena. The bull, head shaking was staring at the child. The screams became louder as it charged.

**Don't worry. There is a meaning to my madness!**


	11. Trust

There was no question. Zeke knew what to do. She knew the only thing to save that boy. Digger pulled against the bit.

"Please forgive me boy," Zeke whispered to the horse as she spurred him into a gallop, straight toward the bull.

Sam's eyes never left the clueless, laughing boy in the arena. Not even when her peripheral vision spotted a figure running along the perimeter of the ring. Everything was moving in slow motion. Jake nudged her, pointing toward Kit before he froze in realization.

"He's not going to reach that kid in time," Sam watched Kit sprint along the ring.

"He's not going for the kid. He's going for Zeke!" Jake exclaimed as he leapt off the side of the bleachers.

"What?" Sam turned back to the arena in time to see what he meant.

Again screams arose from the crowd. Sam leapt down from the bleachers and sprinted toward the arena. Zeke was run Digger into the bull and take him out before he could reach the child.

A sickening thunk of flesh on flesh made her turn toward the bull and horse. Her heart stopped. Digger had hit the bull full force without a moment's hesitation. As he struggled to keep his footing against the failing feet of the hit bull Zeke was caught between. Kit leapt into the arena, not thinking how angry the bull was going to be. One of the rodeo clowns had reached the child, still laughing, and handed him to a bystander. The others tried to diverge the raging bull from the unconscious girl.

The two other pick-up riders circled the bull looking for a chance to get their ropes on him. Kit was standing in front of Digger not moving, feet braced.

"What are you doing?" Sam and Jake asked in unison when they reached him.

Kit had his hands out toward the horse. He nodded toward it. Digger was standing, teeth bared, legs braced in a cage around Zeke, was lying beneath him.

"Don't move boy. Please, God, don't move," Kit begged the horse, his voice quivering.

Kit slowly reached toward the horse. The horse snaked out his neck, mouth agape, warning Kit to stay back.

"We've got to get her to a hospital, boy," Sam cooed from beside Kit, "Where the heck are the Kenworthy's?"

"Get a hold on his head Kit and I'll try and Zeke from beneath her," a deep voice said from behind them.

They turned to see Jed, followed by a medical team, jogging toward them. Kit reached for Digger's head, getting a locked grip on the bridle. Digger pulled harshly against him, careful not to his hooves. Instantly Jed and the medic moved to remove Zeke from underneath the horse.

Kit let out a cry and staggered backward, clutching his bleeding left wrist.

"Are you alright sir?" one of the medics asked quickly.

"Yeah, I'm fine. He just got his mouth around my wrist is all."

Digger's enormous head swung around, narrowly missing Sam's, to bite at the men working beneath his belly. But the horse froze, not even his ears moved. He realized what they were doing.

"Good boy," Sam snatched the horse's reins when he moved to follow Zeke's stretcher.


	12. Young and Stupid

Kit paced before the Kenworthy's and the Forster's as he nervously waited for any news from the doctors. Grace clutched Sam's hand. This place brought back awful memories. Her mother's death. The kick to her head. It was just a standing holder of horrible memories.

"Have you heard anything yet?" two men, dressed in dirty clown costumes, jogged into the room.

"No, we haven't," Kit told them worriedly.

"You have heard nothing?" the other man asked.

"Nope."

Just then, a young man, dressed in a white lab coat, walked through the doors of the waiting room.

"May I speak to the mother and father of Zeke Kenworthy?" he asked.

Both Jed and Lila jumped up from their chairs but Lila hung back as Jed quickly strode toward the doctor.

"Are you the mother?" the doctor asked her.

Lila met Jed eyes then hesitantly answered, "No."

The small crowd of Darton natives exchanged shocked looks.

"Mom? What do you mean you are not her mother? Dad!" Jen exclaimed.

"Where is her mother?" the doctor asked coolly.

"Well… she's uh-" Jed stammered.

"She's dead," Sam supplied for him.

"What? Sam how do you know about this?" Jed asked, hardly managing the words through his shock.

"She told me, well, I kind of nudged it out of her, but she told me."

"I was really hoping that I would never have to tell everyone something like this," Jed mumbled to his wife.

"You don't have to. I will explain. You go talk to the doctors. Tell them I want Zeke home in one piece," Lila told her husband before turning to her confused crowd.

Sam felt a sudden surge of joy. Lila was finally excepting Zeke into her family. Once Jed was out of the room Lila started her story.

"It was right at the ending of our engagement, just days before our wedding. I'm not quite sure when but I have the feeling that it was around the time of his bachelor party."

"It was…" Wyatt spoke quietly from the back of the room, "We got him really drunk. He didn't know what he was doing. We thought we'd play a game with him. Lila we were young and stupid."

"Oh. I'm not mad. Zeke might happen to be the best thing that has happened to this family in a long time. She's really just brought us together. But I was so mad at him. When he told me. The day after our wedding of all times to tell me. I was so mad at him. Absolutely infuriated with him. Now I look back at it wasn't even the fact that he had slept with another woman it was that she was having his first child and not me. Over the years it had kinda resurfaced now and then and our marriage gets a little rocky.

"Every once in a while Zeke's mother would get in a tight spot and we would have to send her some money, being as I wouldn't let Jed abandon her being as it takes two to have a child. When Zeke turned up on our door step a few days back no one was home but me. For some reason when I saw, and seen how similar she was to Jed yet so different I got angry. The poor girl was cowering in her truck when Jed finally got home," Lila chuckled, "Guess I would be to if a woman my father was supposed to married to started throwing dishes at me."

Jed strode back into the room. When everyone's eyes slid to him he blushed.

"That is why I don't drink," Jed smirked, sliding an arm around his wife's waist, "The doctors said that she's going to be fine. She walked away with surprisingly minor injuries for something like this. She's only got a severe concussion and bruised ribs."

Kit shifted his weight to his left foot, "Can we see her?"

"Yeah. Go ahead. She's just waiting for the doctors okay for her to leave then we'll be out of here."  
Kit nodded his head as he walked through the small crowd in the waiting room. He blushed madly when he saw Sam and Jen exchange glances. But it darkened when the all knowing rodeo clowns shoved him jokingly.

The next chapter might be a little mushy. Lol. If you don't want to read it you don't have to. It won't have any vital info. Just Zeke and Kit having a little alone time. Nothing terrible…


	13. Didn't Mean to Interrupt

Okay, so I lied. This chapter isn't as sappy as I said it would be. I changed around my plot ideas and I decided that making it too romancy (if that is even a word lol) between Zeke and Kit would conflict with later events. So the romancy stuff will come later.

Kit timidly opened the door to Zeke's hospital room. She was standing by the bed attempting to pull on a white T-shirt over her wife beater. Obviously the hospital had tried to gather her clean, not ripped, clothes to wear. Over-sized dark wash jeans hung low on her hips, revealing the hipbones that pressed against the pale skin, as she continued her fruitless attempts. Each time she had to lift her arms to slide it down over her torso she would grimace and drop her arms back down.

"Do you want some help?" Kit asked, moving toward her.

Zeke huffed, "You would think that they would be smart enough to give a person with cracked ribs a button down shirt but no! They give me a pull over T-Shirt!"

Kit laughed, "It makes no sense what so ever."

Zeke slid the shirt up to the base of her arms then ducked her head underneath the bottom head, "Now pull it down for me."

Kit gently took hold of the bottom hem and tugged slowly down on it. The shirt slid down easily over Zeke's toned stomach. A messy mop of brown hair popped out of the head hole.

"Thank you," Zeke smiled as she stepped into her boots and took her hat off the plastic bedpost.

"I was worried," Kit said quietly as he watched Zeke attempt to tame her mane of hair in the distorted reflection in the television screen.

Zeke turned to him, a slight guilt caught in her expression, "I guess I acted on instinct. I just couldn't bear to see that kid killed by that bull. I would ring that mother's neck if I ever see her."  
Kit laughed, "I'll make sure keep her away from you."

"Yeah, well, she deserves it. Because of her I'm grounded."

Kit stepped closer to her, leaning forward slightly, "Aren't you a little old to be grounded?"

"I meant like on the ground. I'm not allowed to ride for a week because of this concussion and the ribs, he said, will still be sore and it's up to me whether I ride or not," Zeke said quietly, her eyes flashing down to his lips.

Kit set a hesitant hand on her waist, guiding her forward slightly. His other hand went to move her chin up toward him. Zeke let her eyelids lower as she leaned in slightly, moving up onto her toes.

"Hey Zeke!" someone shouted as they flew through the door.

Zeke jerked away from Kit, "What?"

Both clowns stopped dead in doorway. One let out a bellow.

"Oh my God! You were going to- we interrupted- holy cow!" one dusty clown stammered trying to form a sentence over the others voiced shock.

Zeke blushed as she walked toward the door, shaking her head. The two clowns mimicked kissing sounds as she shouldered past them.

"Eddy, Ralph! You two are so immature!" Zeke yelled covering her ears.

The two older boys laughed and slapped high-fives before turning to Kit.

"Sorry man," the taller of the two laughed, "Didn't mean to interrupt."


	14. Only a Little

It's been three weeks since that night at the hospital and Kit was a little nervous about seeing her again. Later that night, after he had returned home from the hospital, he had spent an hour mental cursing at himself. Why had he done that? What if she didn't even like him? But she had responded hadn't she? Kit shook his head. He was strictly here to baby-sit. That was it.

Kit chuckled as he turned into the driveway of Gold Dust Ranch. A herd of frenzied Shetlands galloped along beside his slow moving truck. The grass was greener than it had been in a long time, richer, evident in the pony's pudgy stomachs.

He parked his truck and stepped out, striding toward the Kenworthy household. Lila was just stepping out of the house.

"Oh! Kit. Just in time. We were just leaving. I think Zeke's back by that little cluster of trees behind the barn. Just watch out. She's been crabby for the past few days," Lila said the final part in a low voice, as if the subject were watching them.

"Thanks," Kit replied before walking toward the barn.

Sitting at the base of a tree was a brunette, her long legs accentuated by shorter length of the pale yellow sundress. Kit approached in shock. He had never seen Zeke in a dress, not to mention how beautiful she looked in one.

"Don't say anything," Zeke growled, scowling at him.

Kit held his hands up in surrender, "Not a word, though I am curious-"

"Lila went a little far with the no riding rule. She took every pair of jeans, shorts, tennis shoes, that she could find, anything that I could wear that was ridable and hid them from me. Would you believe that? She even took my hat."

Kit tried to hold back a laugh as he sat down beside her. He knew she was irritated and a snide remark wouldn't help the situation.

"How about we take a walk," Kit suggested.

"Just because she got you here to baby-sit me doesn't mean you have to entertain me," Zeke snapped.

"Alright fine," Kit sighed, slightly hurt.

Kit stood and moved to walk away when her hand caught his arm.

"Kit, I'm sorry. I just don't like being off a horse for more than a few hours. I'm having withdrawals," Zeke chuckled, as she tugged him toward the Shetland pasture, "A walk actually sounds great."

Zeke linked her arm through his as she walked. She spoke of her life in Wyoming, the 16 hour days and colts she had broken each year. She spoke of her mother, only mentioning how she had inherited her height and hair from her mother, as well as her knack for photography.

"You know, Sam loves to photograph things. Once she even won a prize for a picture of my brother holding a filly."

Zeke nodded as she yawned, "Interesting…"  
"Are you tired?" Kit questioned.

"A little. The painkillers make me sleepy. If the pain wasn't so bad I'd just not take them but everything around them is really bruised…" another yawn, "So if I move too much it hurts like heck."

"Well, than let's go back to the house ad you can lay down," Kit said, turning them around to start toward the foreman's house.

Zeke leaned her cheek against the side of his shoulder, yawning again. Kit couldn't help but look down at her as they walked back. Okay. Maybe he did like her. But only a little.


	15. Dmitri

"Thanks for coming with us Zeke," Sam said as she, Jen and Zeke walked toward the exit doors of Crane Crossing Mall.

"Why? So you guys didn't have to carry your bags!" Zeke laughed as she juggled around the bags in an attempt to pull down the short hem of the sundress she wore, "And why does your mother have to buy me such short dresses!"

Jen laughed, "Trust me she does that to me too."

The trio was laughing as the stepped out into the Nevada sun.

"Zeke Stallone?"

Zeke looked up from her friends at a young man leaning against a sleek black Lamborghini. She stopped dead in her tracks as she saw the attractive young man.

The young man pushed off the car and stepped forward, shoving his hands into the pockets of his suit, "Z?"

"What are you doing here?" Zeke asked, standing as if she were numb.

"You're kidding me right? You runaway and your asking mewhy I'm here?"

"What?!" Jen and Sam exclaimed.

"Z, I just want to know that you are alright."

"I'm fine."

"She does have a concussion," Jen blurted.

"You have a what?"

Zeke glared at Jen, "It's a long story, Dmitri."

* * *

**I know, I know. The chapter is super short but I had to get him into the story. I will update soon.**


	16. Shouldn't Even Try

Zeke absently watched Jen and Sam order at the counter as she stirred her drink. Thrusting a brunette strand of hair out of her face she looked over at Dmitri, who was sitting across the restaurant table, jerking his fingers through his neatly styled black hair. Her eyes followed the sculpted line of his jaw. The muscle beneath his skin was tight, an old habit. Something was eating at him.

Her eyes continued their journey moving over his broad shoulders and down his expensive suit. Her eyes settled on the ring hanging form a slim silver chain on his neck.

"You kept it. After all this time?"

Dmitri was confused at first but a warm smile came to his lips as he fingered the silver band, "How could I not? Z, you were the most important part of my life."

Zeke stared down at her drink as guilt washed over her, "I didn't know what to do."

"Zeke Stallone. I have always been there for you. Why wouldn't I be able to help you through this?"

"I dunno. Dmitri, I told you I was confused. My mind was a mess."

Dmitri sighed and moved to sit beside her, "Look, let's just put this behind us, okay. I don't want this hanging over our heads."

Zeke nodded, looking up at him.

Dmitri moved his finger lightly under her chin, guiding her toward him, "I just want to forget about it."

* * *

"Oh come on Kit. We are so hungry. You have no idea," Quinn whined from the back seat of the truck.

Kit groaned as he turned into the parking lot of the restaurant. He sighed as he turned off the truck, finally giving in to them. With whoops of joy the boys leapt from the truck and made their way toward the building. Kit grabbed his hat and stepped out of the truck following them.

Kit opened the heavy glass door of the restaurant, glancing around looking for his brothers who had disappeared. Sitting on the other side of the large room was Zeke. His heart sped up but nearly stopped when he seen that she wasn't alone. Sitting beside her was an attractive rich kid. Kit watched as the man moved to kiss her. But he didn't even stay long enough to see their lips touch. He turned and wrenched open the door.

Kit strode angrily toward his truck. That's what he gets for being so slow. If he hadn't have waited so long to confess to her he wouldn't be in this mess. If she knew how she felt, if she felt the same way, she wouldn't be in there kissing that man.

* * *

Zeke set her hand on Dmitri's chest stopped him before their lips touched, "No."

"What?" Dmitri asked, looking into her eyes.

"No. You can't really think that after three years you can just come back into my life."

Dmitri sighed, "I know. I really did. I had promised himself that I wouldn't do that. I'm so sorry."

"It's fi-" a high pitched beep pierced the air.

A sighed escaped him, "I'm sorry I came on so strong. Look I'd like to catch up and just be friends again. You know my number. Call me. I have to take this call, it's business."

Zeke watched him walk away. Five of the best years of her life was walking out that door. There, sitting at the counter was the unmistakable broad shoulders of the Ely boys. She sat up a little straighter. Was Kit with them?

* * *

Kit paced in front of the truck. Why? Why did he have to choose this restaurant? Why couldn't he have just gone to Clara's like they always do? Who was he anyways? The bell on the door of the restaurant jingled as it opened. The sleek business like man walked out the door fishing keys out of his pocket.

Kit watched him unlock the door of his Lamborghini. How could he compete with that? He could never he give something like that. Kit shook his head, why should he even try?

**Sixteenth chapter! lol not much to say about it except I want your opinion! please R&R**


	17. Isn't It a Wonderful Day?

**Okay, I want to get something straight for you people. Dmitri is like Patrick Dempsey in Sweet Home Alabama (in looks) but younger lol**

* * *

Sam looked up to see a young woman in a baseball cap canter towards her on a golden steed. The horse was run flat out as they approached them, the rider leaning low on his back. Troubadour was pulled up in front of the bridge to River Bend, sliding to a stop.

"What happened to your hat?" Sam laughed as Zeke trotted forward.

"My mother lost it!" Zeke growled, "I can't believe her. Now I have to wear this stupid hat and get the back of my neck burned! It's old fashioned too so it stands up in the front."

"Hey, hey. Geez sorry I asked."

"Sorry. I'm just mad cause I've had that hat for ten years. It's so old its got holes in the brim."

Sam shook her head, "Oh well. Now you have an excuse to get a new hat."

"Yeah. If I had the money."

Ace lifted his head and whinnied.

"That must be Jen," Sam said as she tightened Ace's girth, "How's it feel to be back in the saddle after a week off?"

"There's two riders."

Sam looked up. Just as Zeke had said two riders trotted toward River Bend, one black and one brown.

"Looks like your night in shining armor," Zeke smirked as she stared down at Sam from her perch on her palomino's back.

Sam glared at her as a blush darkened on her cheeks. Zeke turned Troubadour to face the brothers. Easing herself back in the saddle Zeke relaxed. It was a welcoming, homely feeling sitting on her horse. The only home she knew. She watched as Kit and Jake walked their horses across the bridge.

A thrill of excitement burst in her stomach. Why did she feel this way every time she saw Kit? Why was she always so happy to see him?

"Hi boys," Zeke greeted them cheerfully.

"Mornin'" Jake answered, nodding his head.

Zeke watched Kit, waiting for a reply but none came. Zeke tried to meet his eyes but they evaded hers. Kit jerked Chip away from them so hard the mild tempered gelding threw his head up and lifted his front feet off the ground before launching himself into a canter toward the corral, where and unbroken filly waited for them.

Jake looked at Zeke, an apologetic gleam in his eye, "He's been like that since yesterday."

Zeke's heart dropped to her stomach as she watched Kit dismount and move into the corral without even looking back at her. Sam stared up at Zeke. Hurt was projected in her face. Jen trotted over the bridge a grin on her face.

"Hey guys isn't this a wonderful day?"


	18. Only One Way

Zeke didn't even know why she had agreed to meeting him here. If he thought he could get them back together after everything that has happened he was wrong. If he thought she still loved him like she used to he was seriously wrong. She was sitting alone in Clara's waiting for Dmitri. He was late, as usual.

"I'm sorry. I had some business and it kept me late," Dmitri said, sitting down across from her.

"What do you want Dmirti?" Zeke asked, bluntly stating what she wanted.

"I know you are probably going to be a little confused when I tell you."

"Try me," Zeke said, sitting back in the booth, crossing her arms.

Dmitri took in a deep breath, "Okay. I came here to see if I still loved you."

Zeke stared at him, "Why?"

"Because I found this girl that I really like."

Zeke smiled, "Congrats, who's the lucky girl?"

"Diana Foss. I don't think you know her," Dmitri laughed, "She's not really your type of person."

"Why did you want to see if you still loved me?"

"Because," Dmitri hesitated, "I want to ask her to marry me."

"Oh Dmitri! That's wonderful."

"Yeah, well, I just wanted to make sure that nothing could get in the way of our marriage. I just wanted to make sure that if you came home there wouldn't be any problems."

"Problems like what?" Zeke asked, curious.

"Like if you wanted me back or vice versa. That's why I had come on so strong yesterday. If you had let me kiss you then there would still be feelings between us. Now I know there isn't."

Zeke nodded, "How much did it cost you to find me?"

"Not much. I talked to your old boss. He needed a little incouraging," Dmitri smirked, "But he told me."

Zeke shook her head, laughing slightly.

"What about you Zeke? There has to be someone."

Zeke shrugged blushing slightly.

"I knew it. Zeke, you are a terrible liar."

Zeke smiled shaking her head. Then it vanished and her voice was solemn, "It doesn't matter. He's never going to talk to me."

"Why?"

"I think he seen your little show the other day when we were at that restaurant in town."

"Oh Zeke I'm so sorry. I'm so stupid," Dmitri shook his head.

"It's not your fault. I don't even know if he really likes me."

"There is only one way to find out."

* * *

**I hope this whole Dmitri thing isn't too weird but I needed to create some kind of conflict in this story lol**


	19. Hate the Game

Zeke winced when her torso stretched as she climbed the ladder to the hay rack on the top of her trailer. It had been a week at least since she had been aloud back to riding but her ribs would still hurt every now and then. She pulled herself up onto the top of trailer and turned to catch the hay bale that was being thrust up at her by Jed.

"Now are you sure that you are up for the cattle drive?" Lila asked as Zeke stacked hay in the rack of her blue trailer.

"I'm sure. Okay," Zeke reassured her for the twentieth time.

Lila sighed before she turned to open the trailer door for Jen, who was leading a hesitant Silk Stockings into the back of Zeke's trailer.

"She's afraid of the trailer because it's new to her," Jen laughed.

Zeke remained still as Jen led Silly into the trailer where two other palominos were already tied.

"I'm just going to say that I didn't coordinate this," Zeke said as she looked down at the horses from the roof, "It's almost depressing that I've inherited that much of your taste."

* * *

The drive was long but when Zeke pulled her dusty black truck into the camp area they were not alone. Behind them was the Forster's and the Ely's were already there setting up.

Zeke eased the large truck to a stop and waited for the Forster's to pass, being as Jen wanted to park next to them. Once they were stopped beside them Jen leapt out and ran toward Sam. Zeke unlatched the back of her trailer and untied Silly. Jen appeared to take her and put her into the pen that had been set up by the Ely's. The herd of cattle was huge. She had overheard her father talking about how it was the largest herd they had ever moved.

Zeke could feel the excitment at the other end of the lead rope as she led Troubador out of the trailer. The gelding watched the cattle with keen eyes, taking them in and watching there movements.

"You will not be cutting any cattle while I am at the other end of the lead rope bub," Zeke laughed when Troubadour's leg muscles tensed when a calf suddenly burst from the herd only to be caught by a red headed cowboy.

Zeke tied him to the trailer and quickly brushed him down. Wyatt and Jed had wanted her on horseback as soon as she arrived. Why she wasn't quite sure but she wasn't one to disobey orders. Zeke swung easily into the saddle. At the mere sliding of the reins on his golden neck Troubadour spun to face the herd. His body vibrated with excitement. It'd been a long time since they worked cattle.

"Hey!" someone shouted from behind her.

Zeke turned to see Quinn and Jake trotting toward her. Quinn was riding the chocolate brown horse that Kit had previously been riding when he had come to work the colt at Riverbend. Witch flattened her ears at Troubadour in warning though the excited gelding made no move to even show that he knew the mare existed. His attention was completely on the cattle.

* * *

"So do you guys do this every year or what?" Zeke asked as she rode beside Quinn as they circled the herd.

"Twice a year actually. We move the cattle from there winter pasture to their summer pasture and back."

"Oh. So you guys are moving them to their summer pasture now and this fall you will move them back?"

Quinn nodded, "It's been a long time since Kit's been home for one."

Zeke was quiet at the mention of Kit.

Quinn let out an uneasy breath, "I don't know what you did but any time I go to talk to him I almost get my head taken off."

"How do you know it's something I did?" Zeke snapped.

"Well after that little show at the restaurant I don't know what else would make him mad."

"Oh my God. He saw that?"

"Not all of it. Just what he thought was all he needed to see. When I tried to straighten it out he went off on me."

"Oh Kit," Zeke sighed, "If I could just never talk to him again my life would be so much easier. It'd spare me the embarrassment..."

Quinn chuckled, "Then your life is going to get a little harder. We all voted that you two have to share a tent."

"What?!" Zeke shrieked, "Who the heck is the 'we?'"

"Everyone that counts."

"Then just tell Sam that she's dead."

"Oh. It wasn't Sam's idea."

"If it wasn't Sam then who could it possibly be?" Zeke asked sarcastically.

"Hmm, I don't know. Let me think. Shortish. Skinny. Blonde."

"Jen," Zeke growled.

"Hey, hey, hey. Don't hate the player. Hate the game."


	20. For Everything

Zeke stared up at the rain clouds above. It was going to be an ugly night. Zeke groaned at the thought. She was running night patrol. Of course. Zeke coughed, clearing her dry throat. Despite her bandana she ate more dirt than she would have liked. Troubadour trotted promptly, his pace still bouncy. Despite the long miles they had put in the gelding was still ready for many more. Zeke smiled at her horse's stamina. That's what comes from the long hours over acres and acres of land in Montana.

Troubadour broke into a canter and Zeke allowed him too. She'd let him have a little fun. He'd been begging all day and she finally decided to let him. She looked across the herd. Amid the dust she could make out dim silhouettes. One of them was Kit's. He'd been sure to keep his distance from her all day. Zeke bit her lip. She'd really screwed up this time.

"He'll forgive you."

Zeke turned with a start, "Quinn!"

"What?"

"Will you please keep your nose out of my personal life!" Zeke snapped, pulling Troubadour down to a trot.

"I hate to see my brother unhappy."

"Yeah, who gives a care about me right?"  
Quinn shook his head smiling, "I'd be killing two birds with one stone."

Zeke gave a sidelong glance in Kit's direction, "It would never work anyway."

"You'd be surprised."

They were coming up on camp. She could see the chuck wagon ahead of them. There Grace would be cooking dinner. Zeke set her hand on her stomach. She wasn't in the mood for eating.

* * *

Zeke sat back away from the rest of the laughing cowboys. Above them there was a short, nearly inaudible rumble of thunder but the laughs did not stop. Kit sat beside Quinn, who was telling some animated story. A smile was creeping across Kit's lips. Zeke wrapped her arms around her slim shoulders, rubbing the goose bumps from her skin. Why did he have to make her feel like this? No one, not even Dmitri could make her feel this way. No one but Kit.

She stood, brushing off her jeans, before she turned toward the pen where Troubadour stood sleeping. She shoved her hands into her pockets and strode toward him.

* * *

Quinn watched Kit's eyes follow Zeke as she moved through the tents toward the rope pen. Kit's hands were clenching and flexing, muscles in his shoulders constantly tense. Quinn nearly laughed aloud. He was trying to keep himself from following her. It was all a big act. Just as he had suspected! He wanted to be with her. Why, then, was he not?

* * *

Zeke threw down her sleeping bag, grumbling. Jen had made sure that she stayed away from Zeke all day. Even during dinner she had sat across the fire from her. She unbuttoned her flannel shirt and threw it to the floor of the tent beside her sleeping bag. She rubbed her arms that were left bare in the tank top she wore. All day she'd had to adjust the tank top because it had been too short. It must have been a shirt of Jen's that had gotten into her clothes, Zeke thought to herself as she unzipped her sleeping bag, that would explain why it was truly too small for her.

Zeke brushed a strand of brunette hair from her face. There were hushed voices outside the tent.

"I would rather sleep in the rain!" was the biting response to a question Zeke had been unable to hear.

It was the unmistakable voice of Kit Ely. Zeke strained to hear their words.

"I don't give a shit what you would rather do!" Quinn. A very angry Quinn, "That is the only free tent left. Me, Jake and Brian hardly fit in that stupid tent we don't need you in there and you're the biggest of us all!"

There was grumble and something was thrown down outside the tent.

"Fine then. Get pneumonia. I don't care."

Zeke listened to Quinn's footsteps fade. Kit sighed. Zeke listened to him work. It was almost comforting to know that he was sleeping near her. There was a strange sense of security. The same feeling she had had when she had felt so vulnerable the few first days after she came home from the hospital.

She'd pushed everyone away hoping that no one would see her at her weakest moments but Kit didn't care how much of a fit she had. Zeke shook her head. She ruined the one truly good thing she had in her life.

* * *

Rain was pounding outside when Zeke was awakened. It wasn't the storm that woke here. It was the clawing at the zipper of her tent. Someone wanted in. Kit! Zeke's mind was set into motion as she struggled free of her sleeping bag and crawled to the door of the tent. Using her flashlight she was able to peel back the zipper.

Kit, soaking wet, ducked into the tent.

"Thanks," he mumbled.

Zeke shook her head at him. He was drenched. His hair was stuck to him and his clothes soaked through.

"You're soaked."

"Yeah so?"

"You could get sick!"

"What's it to you?"

Zeke looked down at her hands before she looked back up at him. _Only one way to find out._ Dmitri's words echoed in her head.

Taking in a deep breath, she spoke, "It's a lot to me actually! I care about you."

That had caught Kit off guard. His sour scowl softened.

"I don't know why you hate me Kit but I don't want it to be like that!"

Zeke touched her face. She was crying.

"Great," Zeke grumbled as she fumbled for flannel. Now she'd managed to humiliate herself in front of him twice.

A hand gently touched her chin and guided her eyes to him, "I don't hate you."

Zeke gave a short laugh that sounded almost like sob though the tears, "Sure. That's why you ignore me every time you see me and that you stay as far away as-"

"That was because I was trying to stay away from you."

"I knew it," Zeke growled as she turned her back to him.

"No, Z listen to me," Kit set his wet hands on her shoulders, "I just knew that you weren't mine. I didn't want to want you. I was too afraid to be hurt. I was stupid."

Zeke turned her head slightly to the side, "Why couldn't I be yours?"

"Because of him," Kit's hands tightened at the mention of Dmitri.

"Oh Kit! He's nothing!" Zeke threw her arms around his thick neck, "He's nothing to me now."

Kit's arms were tight around her, as thought they didn't want her to slip away, "I'm so sorry."

"Sorry for what?"

"For everything," Kit whispered.

* * *

The smooth skin of her stomach, revealed by the too short tank top, quivered beneath the cool touch his calloused fingers. A slight smile lifted his lips at her reaction. The first true smile she had seen for weeks. His fingers left a tingling trail as they traveled up her side to trace her collarbone before he leaned over her and kissed her again, soft and tender. Nothing like the hard and passionate kiss that had bruised her lips moments before. Zeke tucked herself into his body. She never wanted this to end.

"Hey Zeke," someone whispered from outside the tent.

Zeke groaned, rolling away from Kit, "What?"

She unzipped the tent flap revealing the young red headed cowboy from earlier, "It's your turn."

Zeke glanced back at Kit before she grabbed her long sleeved shirt and sweatshirt, "Great."

* * *

**:) Yeah! Twenty chapters. I'm on a roll! And I'm starting to like it! lol**


	21. Three Little Words

Zeke stretched her aching muscles. She had spent all day fighting Troubadour's energy. He was constantly trying to break into a canter but if she allowed him to canter she'd come out of the position she was supposed to. Though Kit had offered to ride him she still refused him. Though she loved being with Kit she was still shy about revealing it to the others around her. Though some people wouldn't connect she could think of two teenage girls that would go crazy at the sight. She could tell that even the fact that she and Kit had been riding side by side was making the curious girls suspicious.

It was dark now and most of the cowboys were asleep. Even Kit lay back in his sleeping bag, nearly ready for sleep. Zeke rolled her shoulder in an attempt to loosen the tense muscles.

"Sore?" Kit's hands ran over her shoulders, rubbing over the tight muscles.

"A little."

"Wish you had let me ride him," Kit said, wrapping his arms around her waist from where he stood behind her.

"Yeah but he usually calms down. It was weird that he was so wired today."

Kit was quiet for a few minutes, enjoying the rare moment of closeness, "Come on."

"What?"

"Come on," Kit said, tugging the unsure girl after him.

The cool night air raised Goosebumps on the skin revealed by Zeke's jersey shorts. Kit slid into the corral and took out the paint he'd managed to find for the cattle drive. It wasn't until she watched Kit lead the horse out of did she realize that he left his flannel unbuttoned. Revealed by the open shirt was the fit, muscled torso of a strong man. Zeke was thankful of the darkness that cloaked her blush.

"Where are you taking me?" Zeke asked as Kit boosted her up onto the horse's back.

"Somewhere," Kit smiled as Zeke pulled him up behind her.

Kit slid his arms under her to grasp the reins he'd made from his lead rope. Zeke leaned back against his warm body as Kit moved the horse forward into a walk.

* * *

Moonlight filtered through the branches as he guided them through the thick of the forest. Zeke was sure he was lost. Occasionally Kit snuggle his cold nose into the nook of her neck. Each time the feeling of his hot breath on her neck raised another wave Goosebumps.

It wasn't long after they left the deer path that they came upon a glimmering lake. Sweeping over most of the open and some of the water was an enormous weeping willow, her branches nearly tickling the Earth beneath.

"Weeping Willows are my favorite tree," Zeke said quietly as Kit tied the paint.

Zeke slowly pulled back a curtain of willow branches and stepped beneath the canopy formed by the arch of the large tree.

"I love it here," Kit said as he followed her.

"It's beautiful."

Kit moved past her to sit at the base of the tree. Zeke snuggled into his open arm. Kit rested his chin on the top of her head as he looked out over the silvery water of the lake.

"I found this years ago, when I was still living with my parents. I didn't know who to share this with. I could never find the right person…until now."

A smile crept onto Zeke's blushing face, "I love it."

Kit moved her chin up toward him. She stared up at him. He opened his mouth to speak. They were three little words. Three simple little words. Why were they so hard to say? Kit watched as her eyes closed and her breathing slowed. Kit sighed. Three little words. Who would have thought they be so hard to say?

* * *

**Why is it that we seem to write better late at night! No, I have not fallen off the face of the Earth! School has started. Plan and simple! Why does high school have to be so darn hard! Oh well...I like how this story is going. **

**Review. It's good for the self-esteem.**


	22. Rumble in the Jungle

Zeke glanced down at her hands. She did not want to here him having this conversation. Really she shouldn't even be eavesdropping but at this moments she didn't care. She had to hear what he said.

"So I the Cheyenne rodeo is starting up in a couple weeks," the fat man, Linc she thought she had heard someone call him that, spoke amusement in his voice.

"Yeah. And?" Kit replied.

"Well. Are you going?"

Kit sighed and looked toward the small pen that held the horses. There was no doubt in her mind that he was looking at Troubadour, "I dunno."

"Well," Linc clapped a hand on his knee as he got up, "Think about it."  
Zeke moved away quick, making sure not to be caught. She tried to take her mind off of it as she grabbed her tack, but the torn look on Kit's face kept replaying in her head. He really wouldn't go back would he? Not after everything he's been through. Not after her. Zeke stared down her saddle. Maybe she really wasn't that special to her.

* * *

Kit had practically ignored her all morning long. It was about ten in the morning and he had yet to say more than good morning to her. She down in the pit of her stomach she had a bad feeling. Something terrible was coming. She could feel it in her bones.

Again Troubadour was beside himself. He wrenched at the reins trying to pull them from her fingers. It had forced her to wear gloves in fear of skin loss. But today Troubadour wasn't the only uptight animal. The cattle were acting strange, darting about every which way. Even Ace, Sam's levelheaded mustang gelding, had trouble keeping all four feet on the ground.

Then around the noon there was rumbling. The horses spooked and the herd threatened to stampede. Zeke's heart nearly stopped. This couldn't be happening. Not now.

"Earthquake!" she screamed only for her words to drowned by the sounds of Mother Earth's great shifting.

Troubadour tied to bolt but hind leg gave out on him causing him to fall, Zeke's leg caught between him and sand floor. Zeke just laid there quietly. Not only was the earthshaking but the pounding of cattle hooves was deafening. Luckily Zeke had been working near the outskirts of the back of the herd. They had darted away from her, leaving from harms way. For now.

Troubadour somehow managed to get his feet beneath him and stand. Zeke's heart nearly stopped her boot was stuck in the stirrup and she couldn't kick free.

"Oh dear God," she spook to the horse, "Do not move."

* * *

**Super short. I know. :( sorry. Just trying to get this the way I want it for when I end it.**


	23. I Promise

"Hey, sis, how are you feeling?"

Zeke looked toward the door. She had been dreading this moment. Only a few days had passed since the earthquake and yet so much had changed. She glanced toward the letter that sat on her desk.

"Are you okay?" Jen cracked the door open, "Wha-what are you doing?"

"I'm leaving."

"Does it have to do with what Kit said on the wagon train. About how you're not that significant to him? Because it's so not true! Or at least with me. I love you so much! You can't leave!"

"It's not about Kit. I don't care about Kit."

"Then is it because of me? Did I come on too strong? You can't leave. I just got you back!"

Zeke rotated her sprained wrist. After the earthquake Troubador had drug her. It had resulted only in road rash and a sprained wrist. The real pain, however, had come afterward when Kit had sat her down and told her about his plans to go back to the rodeo. He had told her that he felt they didn't really click and that it would be better if they separated.

Zeke sighed. She had really liked Kit and it had seemed like they had really been getting somewhere. He had been so open and free with her. Maybe someone had told him something. Something that no doubt would not be true.

"I don't know how you can possibly think that it was you! You have been amazing! I am leaving because a man that I used to be really close with died of a stroke and he left the ranch to me. As soon as the ranch has its feet underneath it and I am settled in I will send for you. Can come down for a few months in the summer and visit.'

Jen looked up at her, tears rolling down her cheeks, "You promise?"

"I promise."

* * *

**Okay, I know you guys are probably looking at this and thinking 'What the heck?' but I ended it this abruptly because I didn't like the way this story was going. I promise that the sequal will be better and there won't be as many errors. I don't know how you guys stuck with me. Since I learned to type properly (not looking down at my hands) I am making less mistakes.**

**Of course I couldn't just leave the story like this! Everything will be explained in the sequal. All the emotional stuff that happened between the earthquake and this chapter will be revealed in the second book. :D**


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